Adjusting device for stripping blades



April 6, 1943. s. PICKENS ADJUSTING DEVICE FOR STRIPPING BLADES Filed April 1, 1941 Patented Apr, 6, 1943 UNETEB fi'iiiiiiti QE QF'ICE ADJUSTING DEVICE FGR STREPPING BLADES Scott Pickens, Portland, Greg, assignor of onethird to Luis, Klarna'th Fails, @reg.

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an adjusting device for stripping blades or What might be termed sub-cutting or shredding blades, such as are used on meat and vegetable slicers of the conventional rotating circular-bladed variety.

The object of the invention being an adjusting and fastening means for small blades generally called stripping blades, fastened laterally at a large angle, on the opposite side from the feed means and radially inward from the cutting edge of a circular-blade slicing machine, the adjusting and fastening means being such that the stripping blades can handily be changed from their position of use, just inside the circle of the cutting edge of the circular blade of a slicing machine to a retired position out of use, allowing the slicing machine to perform its regular slicing function, and then, the stripping blades, just as readily being transferred back to position of use for purpose of stripping or shredding the slice.

At the present time, in the operation of stripping blades in connection with food slicers, the practice is to screw or bolt the stripping blades to the circular slicing machine blade, each single stripping blade constituting a tedious and separate operation of adjusting and fastening, and since the operation of stripping or cutting the slices of food, as it emerges from the circular rotating blade of a conventional slicing machine, into small strips of shreds, requires a plurality of stripping blades, it is apparent, that to com veniently clear or remove said stripping blades, in order that the slicing machine may perform its regular duty as a slicer, and alternately adjust and fasten the stripping blades back into position necessary to cut the slice into strips, would not be practical in the day by day commercial usage of slicing machines. In accordance with present invention any number of such stripping blades used can be retired or drawn back to a position out of way of an emerging slice, or alternately placed in stripping or shredding position quickly and handily, the plurality of stripping blades moving from one position to the other simultaneously by a single operation, and all in the same relative position in reference to the cutting edge of the circular slicing machine blade.

The invention may be attached to the conventional circular rotating blade meat and vegetable slicer, in most cases, without materially altering the structure of the slicing machine as to appearance, shape or size.

The invention, together with its objects and advantages, will best be understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure I is a side View of a circular blade of a conventional slicing machine with stripping blade adjusting device attached, showing stripping blades pulled in or retired from position of use.

Figure II, same as Fi ure I with stripping blades extended to position of use for stripping or shredding.

Figure III is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on line a-a of Figure II, showing stripping blades in position 01' use, clamped down. Dotted lines show position and shape of stripping blade shank and adjusting plate before being clamped down.

Figure IV is a detailed sectional view taken substantially on line 12-21 of Figure I, showing stripping blade pulled in or retired from position of use and clamped down. Dotted lines show position and shape of stripping blade shank and adjusting plate when not clamped down.

Figure V is a side view of strippin blade adjusting shank, showing curve and adjusting lug.

Figure VI is a flat perspective view of stripping blade adjusting shank, showing adjusting lug.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, it will be seen that in accordance with the present invention, the circular rotating slicing machine blade, indicated generaily by reference numeral '5, of the conventional slicing machine, may have a plurality of adjusting shanks 5, each attached to a stripping blade 2, the shanks 5 being constructed of fiat blank strips of spring steel or other suitable material, with. a lug of steel, or other suitable material attached along the length of each on the portion nearest the end opposite that attached to the stripping blade as shown in Figure V and VI, the stripping blade shanks 5 being movable end-wise radially toward axis 5 of circular slicing machine blade 'i in channels It on circular slicing machine blade l'. Fitting over adjusting shank 5 and holding same into channels ill, is a circular plate ii of steel or other suitable material, which may be termed the adjusting plate, pivoted on the axis 6 of the circular slicing machine blade 1, its radius being approximately less than that of the circular slicing machine blade '1' by distance of projected end-wise movement of the stripping blade adjusting shanks 5, its periphcry being equal distant at all points from the cutting edge of the circular slicing machine blade '7. The end movement of the adjusting shanks 5 attached to stripping blades 2, as generally indicated by difference of position of 2 in Figure I and Figure II, being accomplished when adjusting plate 9 is turned on its axis independent of circular slicing machine blade I, by the adjusting lugs 8 attached to stripping blade shanks projecting into draw slots 3 formed in adjusting plate 9, said draw slots 3 progressing radially inward preferably in the shape of a segment of a circle, at an acute or flat angle to the periphery of the adjusting plate 9, their length being determined by the necessary inward radial progression to equal the extreme limits of the projected end movment of the adjusting shanks 5 holding the stripping blades, the adjusting plate 9 being clamped down, or loosened, by means of a threaded nut 4 turning on the axis 6 of the circular slicing machine blade l.

Further reference in detail is made to the curve of the stripping blade adjusting shanks 5 Figure V, for purpose of security and firmness at the ends holding the stripping blades 2 when the adjusting plate 9 is clamped down. The lugs 8 attached to the adjusting shanks 5 may be round, or any other convenient shape to accomplish the purpose of sliding freely along slots 3, and long enough to project into the draw slots 3 in adjusting plate 9 at all stages of operation. fhe adjusting plate 9 is preferably slightly conical, allowing thereby for exerting the most pressure at the circumference near the periphery when clamped down, turning freely on axis 6 when the holding nut 4 is released.

In actual working practice, the tightening or clamping nut 4 is screwed away from the adjusting plate 9 until the spring tension of stripping blade shanks 5 is relieved and the adjusting plate 9 turns freely on its axis 5, then by turning adjusting plate 9 on its axis, the draw slots 3 wherein stripping blade shank lugs 8 operate, exert end-wise movement on the stripping blade shanks 5 drawing them inwardly toward axis 6 in their channels H5 by means of the lugs 8 which follow in slots 3 as the same passes over points of attachment of lugs 3 to adjusting shanks 5 and progresses radially inward till stripping blades 2 pull against the periphery of adjusting plate 9. Then by reversing the turning movement of adjusting plate 9 the stripping blade adjusting shanks 5 push radially outward toward the cutting edge of the circular slicing machine blade I to a desired position of the stripping blades 2 slightly radially inward of the peripherical cutting edge of circular slicing machine blade 1. At either position of stripping blades 2 in operation of the slicing machine, the clamp nut 4 is screwed toward adjusting plate 9 to a position wherein the stripping blade shanks 5 spring curves are compressed and stripping blades 2 held firmly for operation.

It is not the purpose of the invention to include bent end 2 portion of adjusting shank 5, termed in description as stripping blade, but merely to show the object of the invention, which isthe fastening and securing stripping blades 2 in place of use to the circular blade of the slicing machine, and alternate retirement therefrom when a detriment to the regular function of the slicing machine blade.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with the specific details of preferred embodiments thereof, it must be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except in so far as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a slicing machine, the combination with a rotary circular slicing blade, a multiple of blades connected laterally on the opposite side from the feed means of the circular slicing machine blade for stripping slices as they emerge during the process of slicing, shanks connected with said lateral blades, said shanks being fitted to slide radially inward and outward in the channels formed on the circular slicing machine blade, a lug connected to each of said shanks on the side opposite to the circular slicing machine blade, a circular plate situated on a parallel plane with the circular slicing machine blade and substantially smaller in circumference than the same and using the same axis as the circular slicing machine blade, said lugs attached to the shanks of the lateral blades and projecting into the slots formed in said circular plate, said slots situated one end at a point near the periphery of the circular plate and at a fiat angle to the periphery of the circular plate and radially inward to the extent of projected end-wise movement of the shanks attached to the lateral blades and means for clamping the circular plate firmly against the shanks and the circular slicing machine blade.

2. In a slicing machine, the combination with a rotary circular slicing blade having a beveled peripheral cutting edge and feeding means for feeding material to said circular blade, said feeding means being movable parallel to the plane of said blade, a plurality of stripping blades connected laterally on the side of the circular slicing machine blade and spaced circumferentially closely adjacent and radially inward from the cutting edge of the circular slicing machine blade, a curved spring shank attached to each of said stripping blades, each said shank extending inwardly toward the axis of the circuiar slicing machine blade, the said shanks fitted in slide channels and lugs fixed to said shanks, the said lugs projecting at substantially right angles to fiat side of each shank opposite to the side next to the circular slicing machine blade and at a point on the shanks toward the opposite end to that which the stripping blades are attached, the said lugs projecting into slots in a circular plate substantially smaller in circumference than the circular slicing machine blade and situated on a parallel plane with the circular slicing machine blade and having the same axis as the circular slicing machine blade but turning independent of the circular slicing machine blade, said slots into which the lugs project each shaped like a segment of a circle situated one end near the periphery of said circular plate and progressively radially inward toward the axis of the circular plate at a fiat angle to the periphery of the said circular plate, the inward progression of said slots being the distance of the projected end-wise movement of the stripping blade shanks, and a threaded nut fixed to screw on the axis shaft of the circular slicing machine blade as means of clamping the circular plate against the circular slicing machine blade.

SCOTT PICKENS. 

